Lawmakers voted to override the Governor’s veto of H.687, marking the final passage of the historic compromise that has been a monumental undertaking for policymakers and stakeholders this session. The successful passage of the bill will immediately exempt the building of housing units across Vermont, which is a top priority for the Vermont business community. The Vermont Chamber has been engaged on this bill throughout the session to secure this crucial provision, among others.

There will be an opportunity to address the areas of concern that led to the Governor’s veto decision in the next biennium. In the meantime, the passage of this bill marks an important step forward to achieving common goals. Act 250 exemptions for housing will start immediately and a location-based jurisdiction approach will see full exemptions in smart growth areas soon. No single piece of legislation will absolve the housing crisis that has been generations in the making and more work needs to be done to find solutions that get at the root of the problem. The Vermont Chamber remains committed to working with legislators and the Governor’s administration in the years ahead on further policy solutions for Vermonters.